Batman: Legacy
| Creators = Alan Grant, Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, Dave Taylor, Graham Nolan, Jim Aparo, Jim Balent, Staz Johnson | First = Batman: Shadow of the Bat #53 | Last = Detective Comics #702 | Quotation = | Speaker = | QuoteSource = | HistoryText = Legacy is a Batman Family crossover published as a sequel to the Contagion storyline. It was written by Alan Grant, Doug Moench, and Chuck Dixon, with illustrations by Dave Taylor, Jim Aparo, Graham Nolan, Jim Balent, and Staz Johnson. The arc deals with a new strand of the Apocalypse Virus emerging, this time controlled by Ra's al Ghul. It's one of several storylines including Cataclysm that lead into the No Man's Land event. The title "Legacy" refers to the mutating virus, and Ra's al Ghul's attempts to find a suitable father for his grandchildren. Synopsis When Armand Krol is found dead, Batman realizes that they never cured the Apocalypse Virus. It has mutated into a new dormant strand, and Robin is still infected. Azrael explains that a true cure may be found in the Sudan. There's a fabled location that the Order of St. Dumas, the Vatican, and a shadowy figure called the Immortal, have been at war to control for centuries. Commissioner Gordon and Mayor Grange struggle to keep the city from plunging into panic. Batman is forced to leave the city, and he reluctantly puts Huntress in charge while he's gone. Huntress stops a plot by the Penguin to cause chaos through D.A. Seth Voder and profit from the virus. Batman and Robin travel with Nightwing to the mysterious desert location. They make their way through an underground labyrinth, leading them to an oil-field where they're captured by the League of Assassins. The "Immortal" is revealed to be Ra's al Ghul, who orders them executed immediately. They fight their way through an army of soldiers while Ra's destroys the facility and escapes with Talia and Ubu. It's explained that Ra's controls the plague, and he plans to wipe out 90% of humanity so he can take over the world. While Ra's flies away in a helicopter, Ubu reveals himself to be Bane, who is the newly chosen husband for Talia. Catwoman, who was earlier imprisoned by Ra's, escapes with her rival Hellhound. Oracle sends Batman to track down Ra's in Edinburgh while Robin and Nightwing go to Paris. Robin wins a surprise showdown against Shen Chi, and is forced to work with Henri Ducard. They stop the League from releasing plague into the Louvre, then return to Gotham. In Edinburgh, Batman teams up with local to thwart the League again. He is forced to team up with Lady Shiva in Calcutta, and they stop another outbreak. The heroes return to Gotham, where Ra's has planned his final attack. Batman wipes the virus out by blowing up Aventine Casino. Bane challenges him again, and reveals that he plans to overthrow Ra's. Batman defeats him on the pier, but Bane's body disappears into the water. Huntress, Nightwing, and Robin, pursue Ra's in his massive boat the Shrike. Robin is able to sneak on board and hack into the computers with Oracle's help, successfully retrieving the cure. Huntress and Nightwing are nearly executed, but Robin rescues them while the boat explodes. In the aftermath, vaccines are distributed and Gotham is saved. Despite Wayne Enterprises exhausting its resources in the relief effort, Bruce is shocked to see the sheer number of corpses. Harvey Bullock and Renee Montoya try to interrogate the captured assassins. GCPD Headquarters is attacked by suicide bombers, and Gordon repairs his marriage with Sarah Essen by showing her how much he cares during the assault. Batman and Robin feel guilty for the lives they couldn't save, but Alfred reminds them that every single citizen of Gotham would be dead if not for their efforts. | Issues = * -- Prelude: Hobson's Choice * -- Prelude: Twelve Steps to the Heart of Hell * -- Part One: Progeny of the Demon * -- Part Two: The Best of Enemies * -- Part Three: Born With Teeth * -- Part Four: The Power of the Picts * -- Part Five: A Wound on the Heart of Heaven * -- Part Six: Gotham's Scourge * -- Part Seven: Riptide * -- Epilogue: Second Chances | Vehicles = | Items = * Apocalypse Virus/The Clench/Ebola Gulf A/Legacy Virus/Sin Cleanser | Weapons = | Notes = * Chuck Dixon later wrote a prequel mini-series to this story titled Bane of the Demon. It explains how Bane met Ra's al Ghul. Bane's escape at the end of this storyline leads into Dixon's one-shot Bane. | Trivia = | RecommendedReading = | Links = }} Category:Batman: Legacy